What Is UpScrolled? The Rising Social Media App Drawing Users Away from TikTok and X
In the rapidly evolving world of social media, a new platform called UpScrolled has suddenly surged into the spotlight. Launched in mid-2025 (around June or July), the app has climbed to the top ranks of app stores in early 2026, often reaching No. 2 in the social networking category on Apple’s App Store and even outperforming established giants like TikTok in some regions. With hundreds of thousands of downloads—estimates suggest around 400,000 in the US and 700,000 globally by late January 2026—UpScrolled is capitalizing on widespread user frustration with mainstream platforms.
Developed by Recursive Methods Pty Ltd in Australia, UpScrolled was founded by Issam Hijazi, a Palestinian-Jordanian-Australian technologist with experience at major companies like IBM, Oracle, and Hitachi. Hijazi launched the platform after growing disillusioned with Big Tech’s handling of content moderation, particularly during global events where he observed meaningful stories being suppressed while misinformation spread unchecked. Motivated in part by personal experiences, including the loss of family members in Gaza and concerns over selective censorship (especially of pro-Palestinian voices), he built UpScrolled as an alternative that prioritizes free expression without corporate agendas.
The app combines elements from TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). Users can post short-form videos, photos, text updates, stories, and send direct messages. It features two primary feeds: a strictly chronological “Following” feed for content from accounts you choose to follow, and a “Discover” feed that surfaces broader content based mainly on engagement (likes, comments, reshares) with added randomness to give every post a fair opportunity to gain visibility.
UpScrolled’s key promises set it apart from competitors. The platform emphasizes transparency and fairness: no shadowbans, no hidden throttling, no pay-to-play boosts for creators, and no promotion of political or commercial agendas. Moderation is limited to removing illegal content, hate speech, bullying, or harassment, with the goal of creating an “unfiltered” environment where every voice has an equal chance. The company’s website describes it as a response to social media that “stopped being social,” built because the founder was “tired of waiting for Big Tech to do the right thing.”
This positioning has struck a chord amid recent turmoil on other platforms. In January 2026, TikTok’s U.S. operations underwent a major ownership shift, forming a majority American-owned joint venture involving investors like Larry Ellison of Oracle and others with ties to pro-Trump interests. The change sparked immediate backlash: users reported glitches, outages (including a data center power issue), repetitive feeds, and allegations of suppressed content—particularly videos critical of the Trump administration, its immigration policies (such as anti-ICE sentiments), or pro-Palestinian perspectives.
Frustrations extended beyond TikTok. Many users have long complained about X, Instagram, and Meta platforms engaging in biased moderation, algorithmic suppression, and shadowbanning of certain viewpoints. As calls for boycotts grew and people sought alternatives free from perceived corporate or political influence, UpScrolled emerged as a go-to option. Downloads spiked dramatically—jumping by thousands daily and even crashing servers temporarily due to the influx—turning it into a symbol of resistance against “Big Tech” control.
While not everyone is abandoning TikTok or X (those platforms retain massive user bases), the migration wave reflects deeper discontent with how established apps handle free speech, algorithms, and user visibility. UpScrolled markets itself as impartial and user-first, appealing especially to those concerned about censorship or agenda-driven moderation.
As a relatively young app, UpScrolled’s community and features continue to evolve quickly. Available on both iOS and Android, it remains mobile-only for now, with no web or desktop version. Whether it sustains its momentum or faces the same challenges as other challengers remains to be seen, but for the moment, it’s capturing attention as a fresh alternative in a crowded and contentious social media landscape. For the latest details, visit upscrolled.com or check app store listings.
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